Candida

Candida is the common term used for Candidiasis, which means Candida overgrowth. Candida has the ability to change into its fungal form and spore all the way through the intestinal wall and to other parts of the body. Candida is often associated with vaginal yeast infection for women.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Effective Diets That Can Cure Candida

Do you have candida?

Not many people know what candida exactly is and what they look like.

Candida or yeast infection is an infection caused by the overgrowth of a microorganism called Candida albicans. This particular fungus is normally found in the stomach as it aids in the digestive process. However, it can cause harmful side effects if it is found on other parts of the body such as the mouth, skin folds, the vagina and or the penis.

Diet is important in the treatment of the disease. The following diets can be of great help to completely get rid of the candida infection:

* A diabetic diet is advised as it contains less sugar. All the foods that are rich in sugar must be taken in small amount. Food such as cookies, cake, candies, sodas, and ice creams should be taken with precautions. Sweetened food that are made from artificial sugar called saccharine or aspartame or stevia extract need to be taken with moderation. Sugar intake can further worsen the infection as it can cause overgrowing of Candida albicans. Three days of sugar restriction may enhance the possibility of curing the disease.

* White starch food such as white pasta, bread, cakes and white rice must also be prohibited. You should take whole grains in moderation. If you are on a carbohydrate diet, you need to lessen the intake of the following foods to lessen the possibilities of growing more Candida albicans. Dairy products are harmless unless you are allergic to them.

* The increase of intake of essential oils can be a great help. Oils such as omega-3 oils, fish oils such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardine, and other oils such as flaxseed oils, borage, and primrose oils can be a good diet. You should at least take one tablespoon of these oils per day. Some oils that are found in some food such as salads, canola oil and olive oils can be useful as well. You should include avocado oils and nut oils as they are helpful in treating the disease as well.

* Do not just take any antibiotic without any prescription from a doctor. Antibiotics and cortisone-type prescriptions should not be taken as possible, as some of these drugs are harmful and can increase the growth of these microorganisms.

* Regular intake of yogurt about two to three servings a day can also help in curing the infection. Yogurt contains a special ingredient called acidophilus that is a powerful and proven ingredient for treating the infection.

These are the diets that a yeast infected patient should take. However, before taking these diets it is advisable that you should consult your physician first for a more thorough medical diagnosis and assistance.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Treating Candida Infections

Systemic infections are not easy to treat. For most people, treatment for such diseases consists of potent cocktails of antibiotics or antifungals. Candidiasis is one of these infections that require constant attention and treatment. The flip side of this is that Candidiasis is very treatable and the existing treatments show excellent prognosis. However, treatment of this disease can be very costly could take a very long time to clear.

Candida Albicans exists naturally in the body, especially in the intestines. Normally, these fungi do not cause harm to a healthy body. Unfortunately, though, if there is an overgrowth of these fungi, it could cause a systemic infection (an infection that affects your whole body). Some causes of Candidiasis are the misuse or overuse of antibiotics, deficient diet, exposure to germs, stress and lowered immune response, sedentary lifestyle, and others.

Treatment for Candida include

1. Potent Antifungals – the patient will be given systemic antifungals such as Nizoral, Diflucan, and Nystatin. The treatment period using these antifungals typically extends over many months and requires high dosages. Some people exhibit side effects upon using the said antifungals. They are effective even though they take some time to fully clear the infection.

2. Acidophilus and Lactobacilus strains – these probiotic supplements help right the intestinal flora, and keep the balance of bacteria in the body in check. These supplements are typically 1000mg strong and are taken twice a day indefinitely.

The use of such probiotics helps prevent the recurrence of Candida overgrowth. Fortunately, even for those without systemic yeast infections, the use of probiotics has a beneficial effect. There are commercially available probiotic drinks and supplements for everyday use, and can be easily purchased at any supermarket.

3. Colloidal Silver – this was used as an antimicrobial agent long before antibiotics came along. This is to be taken twice a day for three to nine months. There are purported side-effects such as a discoloration in the skin, but have not been verified.

4. Candida Diet – a low sugar, low starch, low processed food diet. The Candida Diet can bring relief to some symptoms of systemic Candidiasis in as little as two to four weeks. This diet can be used in conjunction with other existing treatments and is a very viable solution to Candidiasis.

This diet is also quite nutritious and will have benefits in other areas of one’s health. Since the diet restricts some foods such as processed sugars and carbohydrates, one may have to find alternative sources for them.

5. Stress management and prevention – sometimes the overgrowth of yeast in the body is caused by lowered immune response due to stress. Proper management of this condition is a good preventive measure in preventing the onset of Candida overgrowth and may increase resistance against recurrence of the infection.

6. Caprylic (or Undecanoic) Acid – these capsules are typically taken twice a day at around 1,000mg per dosage. Treatment using Caprylic Acid usually goes on for about 9 months, depending on the severity of the infection.

7. Lifestyle Modification Programs – lifestyle modification programs aim to promote a healthier lifestyle. Most of the tenets of the program allow for a lifestyle that lessens the effects of Candidiasis. Under this program one will be guided towards avoiding nicotine and alcohol (both of which encourage the growth of Candidiasis), eating more fruits and vegetables.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Manifestations of Candida Infection: the Candida symptoms and when you know you have it

Do you want to know if you are infected with candidiasis? How are you going to know if you have the disease? Of course, you need to know the different signs and symptoms. You need to be informed about the different manifestations of the disease. If you do not have any knowledge about this, the best suggestion is to read this article to be aware of the different signs and symptoms of candidiasis.

Yeast infection or candidiasis is an infection caused by the fungus called Candida albicans. Normally, these microorganisms are found in the stomach to facilitate the digestion process, but if it is found in places like mouth, anus, skin folds, vagina and penis, it is harmful as it can cause major discomfort and pain.

There are several stages in the candidiasis; each stage has different signs and symptoms.

Stages and manifestations of Candida infections:

FIRST STAGE:

Mucous membranes areas of the body are mostly affected in this stage, such as mouth, nose, respiratory system, vagina and sometimes penis. Symptoms like

Many people suffer from different allergic reactions to different histamines. Allergic reactions such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, rhinitis and streptococcal or staphylococcal infection are just normal however, these reactions needs to be treated with antibiotic that sometimes causes more growth of the Candida albicans.

A patient may develop the following signs and symptoms that can be frightening.

• Severe crying• Severe depression• Insomnia or sleeping disorders• Irritating behaviors• Irrational thoughts• Severe fears• Phobia• Severe anxiousness• Panic• Muscle twitching• Aggressive behavior• Violence and sometimes• Epileptic seizures• DeathMost of the people recognize this as the stage of mental illness as the patient may develop schizophrenia or psychosis. Sometimes patients are brought to psychiatrist or mental institution. The mental disorder of a patient suffering from candidiasis may take longer period of treatment.

The infection should be treated after the manifestations of the first stage. If the infection is mistreated, it could grow even worse and affect more areas. Consult your doctor to know what kind of medication you should take. Be aware of the following signs and symptoms to avoid death.